Jenson Button takes 22, the number he won his world championship with Brawn GP

The number on the nose of a Formula One car has in recent seasons been a badge of competitiveness for team and driver. But for 2014, instead of marking the pecking order for the season ahead, the numbers now represent a driver’s brand, as in the name of marketing they retain their given number for the duration of their careers.

As the FIA confirmed the entry list for the season, the hashtags quickly began to circulate.

Just as the Real Madrid striker is “CR7”, not Cristiano Ronaldo, and his team-mate is the “Eleven of Hearts” – Gareth Bale’s goal celebration - #Jenson22, #Alo14 and #BO77AS now merge the drivers with their numbers into a brand.

McLaren's Jenson Button decided on 22, which was the number he drove with on his way to the 2009 world championship with Brawn GP. Fernando Alonso chose 14 because he used it in his junior karting days, and Williams's Valtteri Bottas beat Marussia's Jules Bianchi to 77 on account of his higher championship finish last season.

The reigning champion will continue to drive with the number one on the front of their car, although the four-time champion Sebastian Vettel will take the number five once he relinquishes the drivers's crown.

The FIA announced the surprise move in December, with drivers able to choose a number of their preference between two and 99.

German Nico Hulkenberg, who returns to Force India after a hugely impressive 2013 Sauber, has the slightly daunting privilege of taking the sport’s most iconic number, 27, made famous by Gilles Villeneuve, and then driven by Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost among others.

The number 13, which has been dormant in Formula One for some time, for obvious reasons, has been taken by Pastor Maldonado. The irony will not be lost on those drivers who have had on-track encounters with the Venezuelan in recent seasons.